Chapter 81
I winced as I touched the bruise on my cheek, watching my reflection in the mirror do the same. It hadn’t fully developed yet but there was an unhealthy shade of blue starting to come up from under my skin and there was swelling. (D)
I hadn’t stuck around after that terrifying ordeal or my monumental mistake and had fled school before classes even began. I couldn’t stay there after that. I couldn’t be in the same room as Noah kAfter what he had made me do.
I had given Noah exactly what he wanted. I now owed him and if I didn’t pay up, my friends would suffer. I wasn’t sure how Noah would be capable of such a thing but I was very much aware he was capable of many things such as reversing his suspension. If all the things he had said about the evidence against him was true then surely that meant the police would follow the school’s decision and drop the case.
I had been putting off making that call for hours, scared of what I’d hear. Perhaps if I just ignored it then it wouldn’t come true and I could cling to the belief that I would be saved for just a little longer.
But, it was a dream and like all dreams, it wasn’t real.
I pulled on some PJ bottoms and a sweatshirt as I watched rain pelting my bedroom window. Part of me wanted someone here. Whether it was Aiden or Kyle or Tammy or Liam, I didn’t care. But at the same time I couldn’t bring myself to reach out to any of them. What would Kyle and Aiden think if they found out Noah was back? Would they retaliate? What if they got into trouble? I couldn’t let either of them get hurt or get into trouble. I couldn’t let Noah win by getting to my friends. (1
He could destroy me but my friends were off limits.
I wasn’t surprised when the police rang. The officer assigned to my case genuinely sounded sorry as he explained that they couldn’t build a case against Noah with the evidence as there was nothing to connect him to any of it. Even my testimony wouldn’t hold as it was his word against mine. I didn’t bother arguing, I didn’t bother begging them to believe me and not shut the case. I had seen this coming and I was too tired to fight anymore. I didn’t have the money, the strength or the resources to go up against Noah and his family’s money. I was already realising that I had no escape
Well, that wasn’t totally true.
Lying on my bed, I remembered Kyle pointing out I didn’t need to attend classes anymore as I
1/2
Chapter 81
had already gotten enough credits and offers to go to college. I had simply been going because I didn’t want to work at the dinet full time not did I want to be at home alone. Except not. I had a reason not to attend my classes. I could drop the ones I had been attending and no otr would need to know except me. Sure, I’d tell Aiden…
No. I couldn’t tell Aiden. I couldn’t tell anyone. I needed to keep everyone as far away as possible from me so that Noah couldn’t use them against me. Aiden was safe wherever he was and Kyle was unlikely to be allowed out of his foster parents‘ sight for some time so for now they weren’t targets but they wouldn’t be gone forever. I needed to make sure they weren’t involved in this as much as possible. (1)
My mind continued on that same crazy cycle for the rest of the night. I barely slept but I was okay with that because as soon as day broke I knew I had my plan.
Noah couldn’t harm me if he couldn’t get to me and since he would never be expelled from school or arrested for what he had done to me, I had to be the one to leave school and make sure Noah had no way of getting in touch with me.
Before I could call the school, Aiden called me first. I considered ignoring the call but knowing what I know about Aiden, that wouldn’t go down well and likely cause more drama than necessary. I didn’t know if I had it in me to talk to Aiden but I knew I definitely didn’t have the energy in me to deal with the fallout of me not answering his calls.
Chapter Comments
2
POST COMMENT NOW
<SHARE
